Make sure that the corn you grow has an end market. That's a message recently offered by the Nebraska Corn Board.

"In an effort to ensure the U.S. corn industry maintains important international trade markets, the Nebraska Corn Board is urging growers to follow stewardship protocols for U.S.-grown biotech hybrids yet to be approved in major export markets away from export channels," says Tim Scheer, Nebraska Corn Board chairman and farmer from St. Paul.

Corn Board Offers Market Caution about Agrisure Duracade

Cutting-edge corn hybrids, such as Agrisure Duracade, a corn rootworm control technology that has been approved in the U.S., are becoming more available options for farmers, Scheer says. While being approved in the U.S. and Japan, Agrisure Duracade does not have a synchronized regulatory approval in China--a growing market for U.S. corn. So having it enter the Chinese market would be detrimental, he adds.

At present, China has closed its market to both corn and distillers grains from the United States due to traits that have not been approved by their government, says Tom Sleight, president and CEO of U.S. Grains Council. The lack of approval affects both Nebraska corn farmers and Nebraska ethanol plants.

"Farmers are in the most global business of anyone in our economy today," says Sleight. "One out of every three farm acres planted in this country goes for exports. It's critical to our trading relationships that all corn producers heading in to harvest be mindful of the varieties they are growing and closely follow the stewardship agreements they have committed to."

The Nebraska Corn Board encourages farmers to take three important steps this harvest season when it comes to marketing Agrisure Duracade:

1.Re-read the stewardship agreement you signed to understand your obligations.

2.Visit with your elevator or ethanol plant about their harvest policies.

3.If your first purchaser has channeling requirements, follow them. Deliver Agrisure Duracade to the right place--and make sure the corn you grow has a place to go. There are more than 800 outlets accepting Agrisure Duracade. Elevators across Nebraska have been calling farmers to follow up on what they are growing and locations at which they are accepting the hybrid.

"Biotechnology has been a great thing for corn farmers—and will continue to be, so long as everyone in the chain from farmers to elevators follow the rules and do our part to be responsible stewards," according to Scheer. "As we harvest this year's crop, know what you need to do to deliver Agrisure Duracade to the right place—and keep biotechnology working for all of us."

Source: Nebraska Corn Board